Friday, 27 December 2013
We are not created equal
Today is the Feast of St. John the Evangelist, whose feast is placed close to Christmas for one reason. He was the Beloved Apostle.
John never denied Christ, and because he stood at the foot of the Cross, he was given two special gifts.
He was given the care of Jesus' own mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. John was, also, the only apostle not to be martyred. He suffered persecution, as we all do in some way, but he was spared death by bloody witness, because he was willing to share in the suffering of Christ on Calvary.
John was special. He was not like Peter, James, or Philip. He was not like Judas.
We are all created unique, and we have unique gifts and personalities. John had temper-one of the Sons of Thunder, and he had a strong mom.
He became the writer who mentions the word "love" more than any other evangelist or author of the epistles.
John was Christ's favorite for the reason that John loved.
We are not the same. We all have a different character, and call to become holy.
It is a horrible sin of pride to think that one could be a Padre Pio or a Thomas More.
Are we called to be saints? Yes. But, we are not, if women, a Therese, the Little Flower, or a Teresa of Avila.
If we cooperate with grace, we shall be saints, but our own saint-St. David of Moline, or St. Anne of Memphis.
Do not compare yourselves with others, but know that God created you for something special. He loves you.
The Church of The Destitute
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| http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/journal/Sep2002/CatholicRecusancyInBerkshire.htm |
I get tired of hearing false statements on how the Church will someday be the Triumphant one of the past. No, no, no.
I have referred to this quotation many times in the past six years. This is from the Pope Emeritus 40 years ago and noted in an article from La Stampa which Father Xander Lucie-Smith related again to us today.
The number of people who are ignoring the signs of the times reminds me of those who did not listen to Noah, or Jeremiah, or the long lists of prophets and saints who have told us to prepare.
If we are not allowing God to make us holy and if we are not cooperating with grace and listening to the real prophets, instead of the fake ones, we shall be swept away. I remember discussing this quotation with a friend in 2003. Why do people not heed the call to repentance and change?
From the Pope Emeritus in 1969:
“It will become small and will have to start pretty much all over again. It will no longer have use of the structures it built in its years of prosperity. The reduction in the number of faithful will lead to it losing an important part of its social privileges.” It will start off with small groups and movements and a minority that will make faith central to experience again. “It will be a more spiritual Church, and will not claim a political mandate flirting with the Right one minute and the Left the next. It will be poor and will become the Church of the destitute.”
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| Oxburgh Hall chapel of St Margaret and Our Lady, Oxboroughhttp://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/oxboroughhall/oxboroughhall.htm |
Female Mate Material
I shall quote Fr. Chad Ripperger.
He told men that one should look for a virtuous woman to marry. His words were something like this,
"If she is ugly, but virtuous, marry her. If you marry a beautiful selfish woman, your life will be hell." Loose paraphrase.
Men, look for the virtuous woman-a woman exhibiting all the virtues.
Faith, hope, love, prudence, temperance, justice, courage, and the fruits which follow the virtues.
Simple, really. From Proverbs 31, DR
10 Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her.
11 The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils.
12 She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life.
13 She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands.
14 She is like the merchant's ship, she bringeth her bread from afar.
15 And she hath risen in the night, and given a prey to her household, and victuals to her maidens.
16 She hath considered a field, and bought it: with the fruit of her hands she hath planted a vineyard.
17 She hath girded her loins with strength, and hath strengthened her arm.
18 She hath tasted and seen that her traffic is good: her lamp shall not be put out in the night.
19 She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle.
20 She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor.
21 She shall not fear for her house in the cold of snow: for all her domestics are clothed with double garments.
22 She hath made for herself clothing of tapestry: fine linen, and purple is her covering.
23 Her husband is honourable in the gates, when he sitteth among the senators of the land.
24 She made fine linen, and sold it, and delivered a girdle to the Chanaanite.
25 Strength and beauty are her clothing, and she shall laugh in the latter day.
26 She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.
27 She hath looked well to the paths of her house, and hath not eaten her bread idle.
28 Her children rose up, and called her blessed: her husband, and he praised her.
29 Many daughters have gathered together riches: thou hast surpassed them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised
Mate Material
Well, all day today, this idea kept coming into my head- a post on what Catholic women should be looking for in a potential mate.
Now, some would say that such an idea is calculating, but common sense and the art of thinking like a Catholic must come into play when one is open to marriage.
After spending a day with lovely young couples whose marriages were "made in heaven", I decided to write down some of my observations for the lady readers who are called to marriage.
A few ideas:
1) Make sure you look for a man who is holier and more religious than you are. Do not fall into the horrible false thinking that you can change a man. One does not marry in order to change someone, but to accept them as they are. A man who demonstrates more spirituality than you, and the desire to grow in holiness, will be the "it" man.
2) Make sure he is capable of being the leader of your domestic church. Can he pray? Does he pray the rosary daily? Does he go to Mass during the week? Does he go to Adoration? Does he read the Bible, and even say the Breviary? Does he believe in frequent Confession? Does he keep the fast and abstinence days of the Church? A yes to all these means you have found a winner, a man who can teach his children how to pray.
3) Does he have his own relationship with God, independent of you? If so, great. If not, oh dear, not good, as too many men rely on their wive's relationship with God instead of developing their own.
4) Is he a protector, of you, of others? And, if you have read my posts on the three "p" types of men, you know what I mean.
5) Does he love the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church? Is he orthodox? If he is not a great reader of encyclicals and such, is he willing to learn from others?
6) Does he love and honor his mum and his sisters? Good "catch" if so, avoid if not.
7) Is he generous, with money, time, himself? If he is not, he will not make a good husband. A good husband denies himself for the sake of the wife and children.
8) Is he humble? Who wants to yoke themselves with a braggart, or arrogant man, or a narcissist. See number 4.
9) Does he know how to be a husband, a father, or is he willing to learn and has the natural as well as supernatural gifts to be such a man?
10) Can he support a stay-at-home mum and children? Is he open to home-schooling? Would he sacrifice for a real Catholic education for his children?
11) Is he capable of real love? Does he love the real you and not an imaginary woman he has created in his own image and likeness?
to be continued.....
Now, some would say that such an idea is calculating, but common sense and the art of thinking like a Catholic must come into play when one is open to marriage.
After spending a day with lovely young couples whose marriages were "made in heaven", I decided to write down some of my observations for the lady readers who are called to marriage.
A few ideas:
1) Make sure you look for a man who is holier and more religious than you are. Do not fall into the horrible false thinking that you can change a man. One does not marry in order to change someone, but to accept them as they are. A man who demonstrates more spirituality than you, and the desire to grow in holiness, will be the "it" man.
2) Make sure he is capable of being the leader of your domestic church. Can he pray? Does he pray the rosary daily? Does he go to Mass during the week? Does he go to Adoration? Does he read the Bible, and even say the Breviary? Does he believe in frequent Confession? Does he keep the fast and abstinence days of the Church? A yes to all these means you have found a winner, a man who can teach his children how to pray.
3) Does he have his own relationship with God, independent of you? If so, great. If not, oh dear, not good, as too many men rely on their wive's relationship with God instead of developing their own.
4) Is he a protector, of you, of others? And, if you have read my posts on the three "p" types of men, you know what I mean.
5) Does he love the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church? Is he orthodox? If he is not a great reader of encyclicals and such, is he willing to learn from others?
6) Does he love and honor his mum and his sisters? Good "catch" if so, avoid if not.
7) Is he generous, with money, time, himself? If he is not, he will not make a good husband. A good husband denies himself for the sake of the wife and children.
8) Is he humble? Who wants to yoke themselves with a braggart, or arrogant man, or a narcissist. See number 4.
9) Does he know how to be a husband, a father, or is he willing to learn and has the natural as well as supernatural gifts to be such a man?
10) Can he support a stay-at-home mum and children? Is he open to home-schooling? Would he sacrifice for a real Catholic education for his children?
11) Is he capable of real love? Does he love the real you and not an imaginary woman he has created in his own image and likeness?
to be continued.....
Another post on The Maiden of Kosovo
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| Thanks to Wiki for the Painting Uroš Predić's Kosovo Maiden. |
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2013/12/interfaith-outreach-in-kosovo-orthodox-church-turned-into-public-toilet-and-garbage-dump.html
I have written on this before: the national epic of Serbia. The Maiden of Kosovo is a beautiful tribute to the heroes of the Battle of Kosovo-the Serbs against the Muslims.
Here are some lines from the poem.
Early rose the maiden of Kosovo,
Early rose she on a Sunday morning,
Rose before the brilliant sun had risen.
She has rolled the white sleeves of her robe back,
Rolled them back up to her soft white elbows;
On her shoulders, fair white bread she carries,
In her hands two shining golden goblets,
In one goblet she has poured fresh water,
And has poured good red wine in the other.
Then she seeks the wide plain of Kosovo,
Seeks the noble Prince's place of meeting,
Wanders there amongst the bleeding heroes.
When she finds one living midst the wounded
Then she laves him with the cooling water,
Gives him, sacramentally, the red wine,
Pledges with her fair white bread the hero.
Early rose she on a Sunday morning,
Rose before the brilliant sun had risen.
She has rolled the white sleeves of her robe back,
Rolled them back up to her soft white elbows;
On her shoulders, fair white bread she carries,
In her hands two shining golden goblets,
In one goblet she has poured fresh water,
And has poured good red wine in the other.
Then she seeks the wide plain of Kosovo,
Seeks the noble Prince's place of meeting,
Wanders there amongst the bleeding heroes.
When she finds one living midst the wounded
Then she laves him with the cooling water,
Gives him, sacramentally, the red wine,
Pledges with her fair white bread the hero.
Fate at last has led her wand'ring footsteps
Unto Pavle Orlovic, the hero,
Who has borne the Prince's battle-standard.
From his gaping wounds the blood is streaming,
His right hand and his left foot are severed;
And the hero's ribs are crushed and broken,
But he lingers still amongst the living.
From the pools of blood she drags his body
And she laves him with the cooling water,
Red wine, sacramentally, she gives him,
Pledges then with fair white bread the hero.
Unto Pavle Orlovic, the hero,
Who has borne the Prince's battle-standard.
From his gaping wounds the blood is streaming,
His right hand and his left foot are severed;
And the hero's ribs are crushed and broken,
But he lingers still amongst the living.
From the pools of blood she drags his body
And she laves him with the cooling water,
Red wine, sacramentally, she gives him,
Pledges then with fair white bread the hero.
When at length his heart revives within him,
Thus speaks Pavle Orlovic, the hero:
"Oh dear sister, Maiden of Kosovo,
What great need compels thee here to wander,
Thou, so young, amongst the wounded heroes?
What dost thou upon the field of battle?
Dost thou seek a brother's son, or brother,
Dost thou seek perchance an aged father?"
Answered him the Maiden of Kosovo:
"Oh dear brother ! Oh thou unknown warrior!
None of my own race am I now seeking,
Not a brother's son nor yet a brother,
Neither do I seek an aged father.
Wast thou present, oh thou unknown warrior,
When for three whole weeks to all his army
Prince Lazar the Sacrament was giving
By the hands of thirty holy fathers,
In the splendid church of Samodreza;
When Lazar and all the Serbian army
There the Holy Sacrament have taken,
Three Voyvodas last of all did enter:
First of them was Milos, the great warrior,
Ivan Kosancic was close behind him,
And the third, Toplica Milan, followed.
"I by chance stood then within the doorway
When there passed young Milos, the great warrior,
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
He takes off his many-colored mantle,
Takes it off, and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here, oh Maiden, is my colored mantle,
By it thou wilt keep me in remembrance,
By this mantle shall my name live with thee.
Now, dear Maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps the noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear Maid, my sister,
That I may come back again in safety.
And that all good fortune may attend thee
I will marry thee to my friend Milan,
Him whom God has given me as brother,
My friend Milan who is my sworn brother.
In God's name and good Saint John's,
I promise I will be a groomsman at thy wedding."
When there passed young Milos, the great warrior,
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
He takes off his many-colored mantle,
Takes it off, and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here, oh Maiden, is my colored mantle,
By it thou wilt keep me in remembrance,
By this mantle shall my name live with thee.
Now, dear Maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps the noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear Maid, my sister,
That I may come back again in safety.
And that all good fortune may attend thee
I will marry thee to my friend Milan,
Him whom God has given me as brother,
My friend Milan who is my sworn brother.
In God's name and good Saint John's,
I promise I will be a groomsman at thy wedding."
"Ivan Kosancic was close behind him,
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief,
On his hand a golden ring is shining.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
Takes the golden ring from off his finger,
Takes it off and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here hast thou my ring of gold, oh Maiden,
By it thou wilt have me in remembrance,
By this gold ring shall my name live with thee.
Now, dear maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps the noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear Maid, my sister,
That I may come back again in safety.
And that all good fortune may attend thee
I will marry thee to my friend Milan,
Him whom God has given me as brother,
My friend Milan who is my sworn brother.
In God's name and good Saint John's, I promise
I myself will give thee to the bridegroom."
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief,
On his hand a golden ring is shining.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
Takes the golden ring from off his finger,
Takes it off and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here hast thou my ring of gold, oh Maiden,
By it thou wilt have me in remembrance,
By this gold ring shall my name live with thee.
Now, dear maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps the noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear Maid, my sister,
That I may come back again in safety.
And that all good fortune may attend thee
I will marry thee to my friend Milan,
Him whom God has given me as brother,
My friend Milan who is my sworn brother.
In God's name and good Saint John's, I promise
I myself will give thee to the bridegroom."
"Then Toplica Milan follows after,
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief,
On his hand a golden ring is shining
And upon his arm a golden bracelet.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
From his arm he takes the golden bracelet,
Takes it off and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here, oh Maiden, is my golden bracelet,
By it thou wilt have me in remembrance.
Now, dear Maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps our noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear soul, my darling,
That I may come back again in safety;
Then, dear Maid, that good luck may attend thee,
I will take thee for my true beloved."
In the whole world no more splendid hero;
On the ground his clanking saber trailing,
Silken cap with proudly waving feathers,
Many-colored mantle on his shoulders
And around his neck a silken kerchief,
On his hand a golden ring is shining
And upon his arm a golden bracelet.
Then he gazes round and looks upon me,
From his arm he takes the golden bracelet,
Takes it off and gives it to me, saying:"
"Here, oh Maiden, is my golden bracelet,
By it thou wilt have me in remembrance.
Now, dear Maid, must I go forth to perish
There where camps our noble Prince's army;
Pray to God for me, dear soul, my darling,
That I may come back again in safety;
Then, dear Maid, that good luck may attend thee,
I will take thee for my true beloved."
"And then went away these mighty leaders,
And to-day I seek them here, oh brother,
Seek them here, upon the field of battle !
And to-day I seek them here, oh brother,
Seek them here, upon the field of battle !
Pavle Orlovic then makes her answer
"Oh dear sister, Maiden of Kosovo,
Dost thou see, dear soul, those battle-lances
Where they lie most thickly piled together
"Oh dear sister, Maiden of Kosovo,
Dost thou see, dear soul, those battle-lances
Where they lie most thickly piled together
There has flowed the life-blood of the heroes;
To the stirrups of the faithful horses,
To the stirrups and the girths it mounted,
Mounted to the heroes silken girdles,
And the three have fallen there together.
Now return thee to thy fair white castle
Lest thy skirts and sleeves with blood be spattered."
To the stirrups of the faithful horses,
To the stirrups and the girths it mounted,
Mounted to the heroes silken girdles,
And the three have fallen there together.
Now return thee to thy fair white castle
Lest thy skirts and sleeves with blood be spattered."
To the hero's words the maiden listens,
Down her white face are the fast tears falling;
She returns then to her fair white castle.
From her white throat pour her lamentations:
"Woe is me, what fate I bear within me,
I but touch the young and tender sapling
And the fair green pine must surely wither."
Down her white face are the fast tears falling;
She returns then to her fair white castle.
From her white throat pour her lamentations:
"Woe is me, what fate I bear within me,
I but touch the young and tender sapling
And the fair green pine must surely wither."
If you want to learn more about St. Lazar and the Battle of Kosovo, check this out....